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The Somali government is advancing plans to establish a unified fiber optic deployment policy to streamline and expand the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure.

Spearheaded by the Ministry of Communications and Technology, the initiative seeks to address Somalia’s fragmented fiber optic network, which has hindered the country’s digital transformation efforts.

On November 17 and 18, the ministry held a public consultation to gather input from stakeholders, reflecting the government’s commitment to a collaborative approach.

“The unified optical fiber deployment policy aims to guide national telecommunications companies to collaborate in the installation and expansion of optical fiber cables.

This initiative will help reduce the costs associated with the deployment and expansion of optical fiber infrastructure, while promoting the growth of the modern digital economy and national interconnection,” the ministry said in a Facebook statement.

Despite Somalia’s connection to five international submarine cables, with a sixth expected in 2025, the country’s domestic fiber optic network remains underdeveloped, according to the World Bank’s “Digital Economy Diagnostic – Somalia” report published in March 2024.

The report highlights that only isolated segments of fiber optic infrastructure exist, deployed by sub-regional operators, and cross-border connections remain weak.

“The lack of a robust backbone network prevents the distribution of international capacity across the country, resulting in uneven access to broadband, heterogeneous network quality, limited redundancy, and stifled market competition,” the report states.

This fragmented network has left Somalia struggling to meet the demands of a modern digital economy. The World Bank underscores the importance of building a national fiber optic backbone to ensure equitable broadband access and foster economic growth.

The Somali government’s new policy is expected to densify the national fiber optic network, improving internet quality and coverage. However, achieving these goals comes with challenges. Somalia’s internet penetration rate stood at only 27.6% in early 2024, according to DataReportal, and barriers such as high device costs, limited local content, and a digital skills gap persist.

To address these issues, experts suggest a holistic approach that includes:

• Increasing access to affordable, broadband-compatible devices.
• Developing relevant, local digital content.
• Expanding digital literacy programs.

The policy’s success could position Somalia as a rising player in the global digital economy, provided it secures investments and overcomes structural hurdles.

Somalia’s effort mirrors a broader trend across Africa, where governments are prioritizing digital infrastructure development to drive economic transformation. If successfully implemented, the unified fiber optic deployment policy could enable Somalia to improve its connectivity and compete in a data-driven global economy.